title: Modulation of lipopolysaccharide-mediated activation in rat Kupffer cells by antioxidants.
abstract: Activation of Kupffer cells, the resident macrophage population of the liver, has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several types of liver injury. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the antioxidants N-acetylcysteine (NAC) and alpha-tocopherol succinate (alpha-TOC) suppress lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced activation of rat Kupffer cells. LPS activated NF-kappaB in Kupffer cells, and this response was inhibited by NAC and alpha-TOC. NAC and alpha-TOC also markedly suppressed LPS-induced tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) mRNA levels and secretion. We further show that LPS was unable to increase TNF-alpha mRNA in drug-treated cells even when stimulation occurred after NAC or alpha-TOC were removed. These results indicate that antioxidants persistently suppress LPS activation in Kupffer cells, and suggest that the mechanism responsible for this involves more than mere quenching of free radical production. The demonstration that NAC and alpha-TOC have inhibitory effects on LPS-mediated Kupffer cell activation suggests that these compounds may have a beneficial effect in liver injury involving oxidative stress and endotoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Research Institute, Department of Pediatrics, Saint Louis University School of Medicine, Missouri 63110, USA.
authors.forename: J M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Bellezzo
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Leingang
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Bulla
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Britton
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Bacon
authors.forename: E S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Fox
mesh_terms: D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000378:metabolism; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D007728:Kupffer Cells / Q000187:drug effects*; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D008262:Macrophage Activation / Q000187:drug effects*; D008297:Male; D016328:NF-kappa B / Q000378:metabolism; D011759:Pyrrolidines / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013859:Thiocarbamates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000378:metabolism; D014810:Vitamin E / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000975:Antioxidants; D004268:DNA-Binding Proteins; D008070:Lipopolysaccharides; D016328:NF-kappa B; D011759:Pyrrolidines; D013859:Thiocarbamates; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014810:Vitamin E; C020972:pyrrolidine dithiocarbamic acid; D000111:Acetylcysteine